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Jews first arrived in Britain with William the Conqueror in 1066, but were expelled in 1290 following increasing persecution. (Hence plays such as The Jew of Malta and The Merchant of Venice were written when England was essentially Jew-free.) Jews were readmitted in 1656 by Oliver Cromwell, and emancipation took place in 1858. In the late 19th century there was mass Jewish immigration from anti-semitic Russia, and the 1930s saw an influx of refugees from Nazism. The Jewish population peaked at 450,000, but has since declined due to low birth rate, intermarriage and emigration. The current population is around 240,000, most of whom live in London. The following is a list of some prominent British Jews.
Political Figures
MPs
Listed chronologically by first election date (in brackets):
- Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1837), Tory Prime Minister (raised Christian)
- Lionel de Rothschild (1847, admitted 1858), Liberal MP, first openly Jewish MP
- Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel (1902), Liberal cabinet minister & leader
- Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading (1904), Liberal cabinet minister & Viceroy of India
- Manny Shinwell (1922), Labour cabinet minister & Chairman
- Leslie Hore-Belisha, 1st Baron Hore-Belisha (1923), Liberal cabinet minister
- Sidney Silverman (1935), Labour MP, introduced Bill to abolish death penalty
- Keith Joseph, Baron Joseph (1956), Tory cabinet minister
- Sir Gerald Kaufman (1970), Labour cabinet minister
- Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne (1974), Tory cabinet minister, European Commissioner
- Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby (1974), Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Sir Malcolm Rifkind (1974), Tory cabinet minister
- Edwina Currie (1983), Tory cabinet minister
- Michael Howard (1983), Tory cabinet minister & leader
- Peter Mandelson (1992), Labour cabinet minister, European Commissioner (Jewish father)
- Margaret Hodge (1994), Labour minister
- Oona King (1997), Labour MP, second black female MP (Jewish mother)
- Oliver Letwin (1997), Tory shadow chancellor
Other
Academic Figures
Physics & Chemistry
- Hermann Bondi, cosmologist
- Herbert Brown, chemist, Nobel Prize (1979) (UK-born)
- Dennis Gabor, inventor of holography, Nobel Prize (1971)
- Michael Green, string theorist
- William & Caroline Herschel, astronomers (father 'of Jewish descent')
- Brian David Josephson, physicist, Nobel Prize (1973)
- Aaron Klug, physicist & chemist, Nobel Prize (1982)
- Harold Kroto, discoverer of buckminsterfullerene, Nobel Prize (1996) (Jewish father)
- Nicholas Kurti, low-temperature physicist
- Ludwig Mond, chemist & industrialist
- Max Perutz, molecular biologist, Nobel Prize (1962)
- Michael Polanyi, polymath
Biology & Medicine
- Sydney Brenner, molecular biologist, Nobel Prize (2002)
- Ernst Chain, co-developer of penicillin, Nobel Prize (1945)
- Rosalind Franklin, molecular biologist
- Alan Fersht, protein folding
- Susan Greenfield, neuroscientist and writer
- Waldemar Haffkine, pioneer of cholera vaccine
- Alick Isaacs, co-discoverer of interferon
- Bernard Katz, biophysicist, Nobel Prize (1970)
- Hans Kosterlitz, discoverer of endorphins
- Hans Adolf Krebs, biochemist, Nobel Prize (1953)
- César Milstein, immunologist, Nobel Prize (1984)
- Leslie Orgel, evolutionary biologist
- Steven Rose, biologist
- Oliver Sacks, neurologist and author
- John Vane, biochemist, Nobel Prize (1982) (Jewish father)
- Robert Winston, fertility expert and broadcaster
- Lewis Wolpert, developmental biologist and broadcaster
Mathematics & Computing
- Samson Abramsky, computer scientist (unconfirmed)
- Jacob Bronowski, mathematician & broadcaster
- David Deutsch, quantum computing pioneer
- Benjamin Gompertz, mathematician
- I.J. Good, cryptographer & computing pioneer
- Ruth Lawrence, mathematician & child prodigy
- David Levy, computer chess expert
- Leo Marks, cryptographer & screenwriter
- Louis Mordell, number theorist
- Max Newman, mathematician & computing pioneer (Jewish father)
- Gordon Plotkin, computer scientist
- Richard Rado, mathematician
- Klaus Roth, mathematician, Fields Medal (1958)
- James Joseph Sylvester, mathematician
Social Sciences
- Michael Balint, psychoanalyst
- Simon Baron-Cohen, autism researcher
- Peter Bauer, economist
- Zygmunt Bauman, sociologist
- Basil Bernstein, linguist
- Meyer Fortes, anthropologist
- Anna Freud, child psychoanalyst
- Noreena Hertz, economist & activist
- Paul Hirst, social theorist (Jewish mother)
- Marie Jahoda, psychology of discrimination
- Richard F. Kahn, economist: multiplier
- Nicholas Kaldor, economist
- Israel Kirzner, economist (UK-born)
- Melanie Klein, psychotherapist
- Harold Laski, economist
- Judd Marmor, psychiatrist (UK-born)
- Ashley Montagu, anthropologist & humanist
- David Ricardo, economist
- Piero Sraffa, economist
Humanities
- Samuel Alexander, philosopher
- Alfred Ayer, philosopher
- Isaiah Berlin, historian of ideas
- Isaac Deutscher, historian
- Martin Gilbert, historian
- H. L. A. Hart, legal philosopher
- Eric Hobsbawm, historian
- Imre Lakatos, philosopher of science
- Bernard Lewis, historian
- Simon Sebag Montefiore, historian
- Lewis Namier, historian
- Karl Popper, philosopher of science
- Simon Schama, historian
- Aurel Stein, archeologist
- Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher
Showbusiness
Cinema
- Michael Balcon, producer
- Alfie Bass, comic actor
- Claire Bloom, actress
- Orlando Bloom, actor (Jewish father: non-biological, he later discovered)
- Eleanor Bron, actress and name inspiration for Eleanor Rigby
- Helena Bonham Carter, actress (mother's family of Jewish origin)
- Katrin Cartlidge, actress (Jewish mother)
- Daniel Day Lewis, actor (Jewish mother)
- Oscar Deutsch, founder of Odeon cinemas
- Marty Feldman, comic actor
- Stephen Frears, director (Jewish mother)
- Sidney J. Furie, director
- Jonathan Glazer, director
- Laurence Harvey, actor
- Leslie Howard, actor
- Jason Isaacs, actor
- Sid James, comic actor
- Alexander Korda, director & producer
- Zoltan Korda, director
- Mike Leigh, director
- Richard Lester, director
- Jonathan Lynn, director
- Miriam Margolyes, actress
- Sam Mendes, director (Jewish mother)
- Ron Moody, actor
- Emeric Pressburger, director
- Irving Rapper, director (UK-born)
- Karel Reisz, director
- John Schlesinger, director
- Ione Skye, actress (UK-born; Jewish mother)
- Elizabeth Taylor, actress (convert)
- Rachel Weisz, actress
- Michael Winner, director
Television
- Tom Baker, lead in Doctor Who (Jewish father, raised Catholic)
- Dani Behr, tv presenter
- Lionel Blair, tv entertainer
- Joan Collins, Alexis Carrington in Dynasty (Jewish father)
- Vanessa Feltz, tv presenter
- Michael Grade, BBC executive
- Lesley Joseph, Dorian in Birds of a Feather
- Natasha Kaplinsky, tv presenter (Jewish father)
- Felicity Kendal, Barbara Good in The Good Life (convert)
- Maureen Lipman, tv actress
- Kay Mellor, scriptwriter & actress
- Warren Mitchell, Alf Garnett in Til Death Us Do Part
- Sharon Osbourne, herself in The Osbournes (Jewish father)
- Esther Rantzen, presenter of That's Life!, founder of ChildLine
- Gaby Roslin, tv presenter
- Andrew Sachs, Manuel in Fawlty Towers (Jewish father)
- Emma Samms, tv actress
- Jane Seymour, lead in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (Jewish father)
- David Suchet, lead in Hercule Poirot (Jewish father)
- Clive Swift, Richard Bucket from Keeping Up Appearances
- David Swift, Henry from Drop the Dead Donkey
- Alan Yentob, BBC executive
Comedy
- Ronni Ancona, impressionist
- David Baddiel, comedian
- Sacha Baron Cohen, impressionist, Ali G
- Arnold Brown, comedian
- Ben Elton, comedian & writer
- Bud Flanagan, comedian & actor
- Stephen Fry, comedian & actor (Jewish mother)
- Paul Kaye, comedian & actor, Dennis Pennis
- Matt Lucas, comedian
- Jerry Sadowitz, comedian
- Alexei Sayle, comedian & communist
- Peter Sellers, comedian & actor (Jewish mother)
- Ruby Wax, comedian (UK-based)
Theatre
- Peter Barnes, playwright
- Peter Brook, director
- Georgia Brown, musical theatre actress
- Maria Friedman, musical theatre actress
- Hermione Gingold, actress
- Henry Goodman, actor
- Nicholas Hytner, director
- Jonathan Miller, director
- Anthony Sher, actor
- Janet Suzman, actress
- Sam Wanamaker, the Globe Theatre project
- Zoe Wanamaker, actress (Jewish father)
Other
Musicians
Popular Musicians
- Bert Ambrose, bandleader
- Nicole, Natalie Appleton & Melanie Blatt, members of All Saints (Appletons half-Jewish)
- Marc Bolan, member of T. Rex
- Elkie Brooks, singer, member of Vinegar Joe
- Ian Broudie, member of The Lightning Seeds
- Johnny Clegg, South African musician (UK-born)
- Alma Cogan, singer
- Anthony Costa, member of Blue
- Victor Feldman, jazz musician
- Justine Frischmann, member of Elastica
- Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme & Kevin Godley, members of 10cc
- Mick Green, guitarist for Johnny Kidd & the Pirates
- Peter Green, member of Fleetwood Mac
- Mick Hucknall, member of Simply Red (Jewish mother)
- Mick Jones, member of The Clash (Jewish mother)
- Jason Kay, member of Jamiroquai
- Mark Knopfler, member of Dire Straits (Jewish father)
- Paul Kossoff, member of Free
- Jon Moss, member of Culture Club
- Manfred Mann, R&B keyboardist
- Oi Va Voi, klezmer/electronica band
- Keith Reid & Matthew Fisher, founding members of Procol Harum
- Gavin Rossdale, member of Bush (raised by half Jewish father)
- Ronnie Scott, saxophonist & jazz club owner
- Shlomo, beatboxer
- Derek, Ray & Phil Shulman, members of Gentle Giant
- Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sid Vicious
- Rachel Stevens, singer & former member of S Club 7
- Lewis Taylor, singer/songwirter
- Frankie Vaughan, singer
- Scott Walker, singer/songwriter (unconfirmed)
- John Weider, member of Eric Burdon & the New Animals
- Louise Wener, member of Sleeper
- Amy Winehouse, singer/songwriter
- Eric Woolfson, member of Alan Parsons Project
Producers/Managers
Classical Musicians
- Harriet Cohen, pianist
- Solomon Cutner, pianist
- Jacqueline du Pré, cellist (convert)
- George Henschel, singer & conductor
- Myra Hess, pianist
- Steven Isserlis, cellist
- Yehudi Menuhin, conductor & violinist (UK-based)
- Benno Moiseiwitsch, pianist
- Michael Nyman, composer
- Murray Perahia, pianist (UK-based)
- Landon Ronald, conductor & composer
- Georg Solti, conductor
- Lionel Tertis, cellist
Songwriters
Writers
Authors & Poets
- Al Alvarez, poet
- Lisa Appignanesi, novelist
- Alain de Botton, writer
- Anita Brookner, novelist
- Bryher, poet (probably Jewish father)
- Elias Canetti, novelist, Nobel Prize (1981)
- Jackie Collins, romantic novelist (Jewish father)
- Eleanor Farjeon, children's writer (Jewish father)
- Leonard Feather, jazz writer
- Antonia Forest, children's writer (Jewish father)
- Neil Gaiman, fantasy writer
- Linda Grant, novelist
- Zoë Heller, author (Jewish father)
- Anthony Holden, biographer & journalist
- Howard Jacobson, writer & broadcaster
- Judith Kerr, children's writer
- Arthur Koestler, novelist & critic
- Denise Levertov, poet (Jewish father)
- Amy Levy, novelist & poet
- Mina Loy, poet (Jewish father)
- Claudia Roden, food writer
- Isaac Rosenberg, war poet
- Bernice Rubens, novelist
- Siegfried Sassoon, war poet (Jewish father)
- Will Self, novelist (Jewish mother)
- Muriel Spark, novelist (Jewish father)
- Leonard Woolf, writer & activist
- Helen Zahavi, novelist
Playwrights
Journalists
- David Aaronovitch, journalist (Jewish father)
- Nick Cohen, journalist
- John Diamond, journalist
- Jonathan Freedland, journalist
- Nigella Lawson, journalist, cookery writer & broadcaster
- Bernard Levin, journalist & broadcaster
- Melanie Phillips, journalist
- Marjorie Proops, agony aunt
- Kimberly Quinn, publisher (UK-based)
- Claire Rayner, agony aunt
Artists
Fine Arts
- Frank Auerbach, painter
- David Bomberg, painter
- Anthony Caro, sculptor
- Jacob Epstein, sculptor (UK-based)
- Lucian Freud, painter
- Abram Games, poster designer
- Mark Gertler, painter
- Ernst Gombrich, art historian
- Anish Kapoor, sculptor (Jewish mother)
- R.B. Kitaj, painter (UK-based)
- Leon Kossoff, painter
- Hans Schleger, graphics designer
- David Sylvester, art critic
Fashion
- Elizabeth Emanuel, fashion designer
- Nicole Farhi, fashion designer
- Stella McCartney, fashion designer (Jewish mother)
- Janet Reger, lingerie designer
- Vidal Sassoon, hair stylist
Business
Food
- Jack Cohen, founder of Tesco
- Jacob "the Jew", founder of the first European coffeehouse (Oxford, 1650)
- Adam & Sam Kaye, founders of Ask Pizza
- Phillip Kaye, founder of Garfunkel's
- Joseph Lyons et al, founders of J. Lyons and Co.
- Joseph Malin, founder of the first fish and chips shop (London, 1860)
Retail
- Marilyn & Yoram Anselm, founders of Hobbs
- Ralph, David & Jacqueline Gold, founders of Ann Summers
- Philip Green, owner of Bhs, Arcadia Group
- Stanley Kalms, founder of Dixons
- Michael Marks, co-founder of Marks & Spencer
- Stephen Marks, founder of FCUK
- Joseph Nathan, founder of Glaxo
- Stephen Rubin, founder of Pentland, Reebok
- Marcus Samuel, founder of Shell Oil
- Jez San, founder of Argonaut (unconfirmed)
- Peter Simon, founder of Monsoon & Accessorize
- Alan Sugar, founder of Amstrad
- Isaac Wolfson, founder of GUS plc & philanthropist
- Selim Zilkha, founder of Mothercare (while UK-based)
Finance/Media
- Sidney Bernstein, founder of Granada Television
- Richard Desmond, publisher
- Lloyd Dorfman, founder of Travelex
- David Goldman, founder of The Sage Group
- Lew Grade, founder of ATV
- Harry Marks, founder of the Financial Times
- Robert Maxwell, corrupt media baron
- Moses Haim Montefiore, financier & philanthropist
- Paul Reuter, founder of Reuters
- Nathan Mayer Rothschild, financier & banker
- Maurcie & Charles Saatchi, advertising gurus
- Martin Sorrell, advertising guru
Sports
Boxing
- Barney Aaron, 19th century boxer (IBHOF)
- Jackie Kid Berg, Junior Welterweight Champion (IBHOF)
- Dutch Sam Elias, 19th century boxer, inventor of the uppercut (IBHOF)
- Ted Kid Lewis, World Welterweight Champion (IBHOF)
- Daniel Mendoza, 18th century Heavyweight Champion (IBHOF)
- Jack Solomons, boxing promoter (IBHOF)
Other
See also
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